Prairie Farmer, Vol. 56: No. 1, January 5, 1884 | Page 7

Louis; and by a close study of the three a farmer
can always make enough to pay for twenty or thirty dollars worth of
good current literature for the use of his family. Then the F. and S. is
always full of delightful reading for the boys, refining their cruel
propensities, and teaching them to be kind to the feathered tribe which
are the farmer's friends. By reading it they soon lay aside their traps,
nets, and snares, with which they capture whole covies of the dear little
Bob-whites, and disdain to touch a feather, only when on the wing, and
then with their light, hammerless breach loader. Such reading as that
ties the farmer's boys to country life, and makes them contented under

the parental roof-tree until they are ready to build up homes of their
own. The Journal tells them all about tile making and drainage, a very
necessary accomplishment when they get their own homestead.
The pictures in H.W. furnish a fountain of amusement for the little
folks, and teach them--with a little help--many things that will be useful
to them in life. As a matter of course the "Bezar" is for mother and the
girls, and [***] consultations [***] before the fair, a [***] daughters,
your [***] good when she insisted [***] be put on the list.
A boy or a girl with [***] the Century in their hands, [***] room, with
a bright clear lamp [***] has no thought of city life, or [***] In those
bright pages the [***] outer world painted in all its various [***] so
interesting and so fascinating [***] have no desire to see it in reality; in
[***] they bring the brightest and best thought, [***] historic, and
romantic to our hearth and home; furnishing food for the youthful
minds, leaving no room for evil or discontented thoughts to enter. Then
I say to every farmer who has children, get the magazines for them,
they will save you a mountain of trouble.
Then to balance things have one or two spicy news papers, which
picture in horrid colors the blackest side of human life. This is
necessary to guard the young against the riff-raff of humanity, such as
tramps, sharpers, sewing machine and book agents, the lightning rod
man, and a dozen other sharp swindlers that prey on the farmer and his
family for an existence. The Sanitary Journal treats of health, purity,
and cleanliness, and ought to be read and studied by all. Ah, I had
almost forgotten THE PRAIRIE FARMER Map which hangs by the
door. What can I say about it? that it is a handsome ornament for a
living room or library? yes, but that is not all, it is useful. When it
arrived I took it to the railroad office and compared it with the best map
they had, also with a map made by the U.S. land office. I came away
satisfied that it was reliable; it ought to be in the home of every farmer
in this great country of ours, so that their children can learn and know
what a grand heritage they have got. There is no excuse for being
without it, as a few pounds of butter or dozens of eggs will procure it
and a paper that will gladden the hearts of both old and young.

ALEX ROSS. CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO.

LET US BE SOCIABLE.
A happy new year to all of the readers of THE PRAIRIE FARMER,
and may your labors of 1884 be crowned with success. Mr. Granger,
what are you doing these long winter evenings? Can't you find time to
write a few lines to the readers of THE PRAIRIE FARMER? You can
send a little report from your county, at least. Come, let us be a little
more sociable and talk more to each other through the columns of our
paper. We can learn something by reading each other's views on
different subjects. In my next I shall try and tell some of the careless
fellows how to run a farm to make it pay. If I fail to give a little light on
the subject perhaps some one else will try it. We are having what you
might call winter, now. Snow is about six inches deep, but the weather
is not very cold. The thermometer has not been below zero but once.
Nearly all of the corn is gathered; only about one-third of the crop is
sound enough to keep until next summer. Farmers are feeding their soft
corn to hogs and cattle. In that way the soft corn will pay pretty well
after all, for fat stock brings a good price. Stock cattle are wintering
well, for feed in the fields is good, and most farmers have got plenty of
good hay.